It's All In the Timing
by crystal.elements
Summary: A used time machine can never be trusted. They went back to get Curtis and left a day too early, before Phil and Keely became a couple. Now permanently stuck one year later in the present, how can he make her understand...when she doesn't even remember?
1. Prologue

**Hey guys! Look who's back after three months? Yeah...sorry about that. But I won't go into excuses, let's just start this next story of mine. I had to give this one a lot of thought, and for a moment I was actually going to delete it...but we'll see after the feedback of the first chapter, so it's all up to you guys. If it goes great...well, then, you'll have yourself another fanfic to read!**

**This one has references to the second season finale...so if you haven't watched it, I'm warning you now: you might not get the point I'm trying to make in this chapter.**

**So, other than that...hope you enjoy!**

_-EDIT: I would have had this up sooner...but for the past two days the Document Manager wasn't uploading it for me...argh...so yeah, sorry about that.-_

**Disclaimer: I may be creating my own third season right now, but it doesn't mean I own the show...**

**Prologue**

Previously, on the season two finale of _Phil of the Future..._

_"In other Phil-related---I mean..." Keely paused painfully, eyes wandering down to rest on the engraved silver saltshaker in front of her. Her eyes widened just as the realization hit her, the biggest mistake of her life finally unfolding right in front of her eyes. "Phil..."_

_"I can't not say goodbye to Phil!"_

_Before she could even get out of her seat, though, the Broadcast Lab door burst open and there he stood, and for a fleeting moment she believed that he was staying..._

_But he had only come to say a final goodbye._

_And as his lips met hers, she lost herself in her first kiss with the boy she had been seemingly waiting for all her life..._

_"In the future...will you wait for me?"_

_And as fast as he had come, he was gone._

_- - - - -_

_Phil jerked awake in his seat as a sudden, urgent realization reached the back of his mind, and he opened his eyes wide with a single, simple word: "Uh-oh."_

_Seconds later, Pim was wide awake as well, following in the same procedure as her older brother. Their mother glanced up from the newspaper she was reading and rolled her eyes. "What are you two---" _

_The newspaper dropped from her hands, forgotten, as she suddenly remembered the one thing---or person---their family had left behind back in the 21st century._

_"Uh-oh."_

_"That's three 'uh-oh's', what's the matter?" Lloyd asked from behind the time machine steering wheel, the irritancy and confusion apparent in his tone._

_Phil shifted uncomfortably in his seat._

_"I think we forgot something."_

_- - - - -_

_Back at the now-empty Diffy household, an unsuspecting caveman stumbled through the door, grinning and mumbling incoherently to himself as he snatched a chicken leg from the refrigerator. Within moments, though, he raised his head to the ceiling and sniffed, apprehension now evident in his eyes. _

_"HELLO?" _

_He paused in the silence, letting out a soft whimper._

_"Anybody...home?"_

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The door of the Time Machine RV hissed as it swung open to reveal a flustered Lloyd, who stumbled out onto the sidewalk and rushed up to the present-day Diffy house. Phil was hot on his heels, slamming the door behind him and heading straight to the garage in search of their "pet" caveman.

"CURTIS!" He hollered, wandering into the darkness of Curtis's new "cave" and flipping on the lights. Scanning the area, Phil figured he obviously wasn't there and made his way to the back door of the house.

"CUR---Dad..._what_ are you doing?" Phil asked suddenly as he stopped mid-stride on his way to the living room, rolling his eyes at the sight of his father's bottom sticking out from the refrigerator door.

Lloyd quickly pulled out and whirled around to face him, a package full of…_something_…clutched tightly in his hands. "You know, I _swear_ I packed this bag of lobsters in the Time Machine before we left, but---" He caught the impatient stare Phil was giving him--- "Right. Curtis. Got it."

The two of them dashed into the living room and practically fell over Curtis, who was sitting on his stool and knitting yet another scarf for his collection. Recovering from his stumble, Lloyd dusted himself off and threw the package of lobsters over to Phil, hauling Curtis up by the arm.

"Come on, buddy, we have to get going, we don't have all day!" He said swiftly. "Eighth dimension, traffic, gigantic bugs, remember?" With that, he nearly dragged the confused caveman out the front door, scarf and all.

Curtis only widened his eyes in surprise as the RV came into view.

"Time Machine..._fixed_?"

Phil reluctantly followed suit, turning back once more to gaze at the house he had become so familiar with over the past two years. A light breeze tousled his hair, and for a moment he swore he heard her voice...

"_...wait for me..._"

And suddenly, he had a feeling that he was doing something horribly wrong.

Lloyd honked the horn from the RV, signaling Phil to hurry up, and he rushed back to the Time Machine without another moment wasted. The RV roared to life, leaving all his doubts behind...

But he didn't notice the world around him give off an unnatural ripple as he climbed into the van and shut the door.

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Tapping her foot impatiently as she checked her watch for he tenth time that morning, Keely sighed and leaned against her locker just as her friend Via came into view.

"Hey Keely...what are you doing here?" The British girl asked as she quickly spun the combination to her locker and pulled it open. "First bell's about to ring, aren't you going to be late for your morning Broadcast?" Pulling out a book and swiftly scanning herself in the mirror on her locker door, Via glanced in Keely's direction as she waited for an answer.

Checking her watch once again, Keely let out a frustrated sigh and turned to face her friend, who now had an eyebrow raised. "I know, I'm probably already late. But I'm waiting for---"

Out of nowhere, a chill shot down her spine and Keely shuddered, suddenly feeling very uneasy.

But the ripple around her went unnoticed.

"Keely...what's wrong? Are you okay?" Via gently put a hand on Keely's shoulder and shook her, the worry obvious in her tone and expression as she took in her friend's sudden faint reaction. "_Keely_!"

"...Phil." Keely managed, putting a hand to her head in confusion. "I was...waiting for Phil."

"Oh." Via furrowed her brow in concern, no longer interested in Phil's whereabouts but instead taking note of the way Keely was acting. "Are you sure you're alright, Keely? You seem a bit..." She trailed off, unable to come up with the right words.

"I'm fine," Keely replied as firmly as she could, giving a reassuring smile that obviously wouldn't convince anyone, including herself.

Via eyed her skeptically and was just about to protest when the shrill ringing of the bell interrupted. She let out a defeated sigh. "If you say so..."

The hallway slowly began to diminish as students rushed off to their classes, and Via quickly shut her locker.

"Well, I'm off to Math, then." She gave one last look at Keely and smiled reassuringly. "You should probably get to the Broadcast Lab. Don't worry about Phil, he always manages to pull through for you in the end. I'm sure he'll show up later on." And with a wave, she was on her way.

As she watched Via leave, the smile on Keely's face faded as a familiar feeling of dread sunk into her skin. But there was nothing to worry about, right? Absolutely nothing to worry about...

So why was this uneasy feeling telling her that she would never see Phil again?

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Pim groaned loudly as her eyes shot open in irritancy, and she spun around in her seat to face the source of the noise that was keeping her awake.

"Curtis, KEEP IT DOWN! I'm trying to catch some shut-eye here! Do your stupid clickity-clicking somewhere else!"

The caveman behind her only gave a chuckle as he continued to crochet his half-finished scarf.

Disgruntled, Pim let out a growl and slouched further down in her chair. "Should've left him behind," she muttered, before raising her voice to a whine. "Dad, are we there yet?"

Phil, on the other hand, stared at Curtis in bewilderment as he admired the scarf in his hands---

"Hey, wait a min---Curtis, can I see that scarf?" Phil asked suddenly, unbuckling himself from his seat and quickly making his way to the back of the Time Machine, much to Barb's dismay (_"What have we told you about unbuckling your seatbelt while the Time Machine's in flux?"_).

Curtis shrugged and tossed the scarf into his hands, and Phil studied the design as his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Curtis, haven't you made a scarf like this already?" He asked, eyes still focused on the strangely familiar design. He swore he had seen this same scarf sometime before, but---

"Curtis never knit same design twice," Curtis replied in a grunt, finishing Phil's exact thoughts as he folded his arms across his chest with pride.

"But I've seen this before, I know it!" Phil argued, wracking his brain for the proof. "It...it was the morning I left for school, I remember seeing you sitting in the living room knitting this exact scarf...that was the day Kee---"

Phil eyes instantly widened in horror mid-sentence as an unbelievable thought crossed his mind. The scarf, the lobsters...suddenly, his brain went into overdrive as the pieces fell into place. And if he was right, that meant that everything that had happened...and Keely...

His heart raced out of control as Phil nearly ripped apart the scarf in his clenched hands, a dread he had never felt before in his entire life seeping into his gut within seconds.

"Dad…we need to go back."

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Keely fought the urge to roll her eyes as Owen waved energetically from his spot behind the camera, his inner child apparently shining through at the opportunity of being the substitute cameraman. As he flashed her a grin and the thumbs up sign, though, her expression went blank...an image of a certain brown-haired boy doing something almost similar to what Owen had just done flickered in her mind, and once again Keely forced the inevitable questions begging to be answered out of her head before---

"Dude, where's the Diffster today, Keels?" Owen asked in a whisper loud enough for the entire Broadcast crew to hear. "Did something happen to him or something? It's not like the little dude to disappear without some reason, he like..._never_ misses a day of school!"

Almost instantly, the dread Keely had been suppressing until that moment deepened tenfold.

But before she could even begin to react, Owen was counting down and signaling the start of the broadcast...

And the camera started rolling.

"Good morning," she began shakily, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "It's 8:15, and time for our Morning Wrap-Up Digest. I'm...Keely Teslow."

Shutting her eyes momentarily, she forced a weak smile and slowly opened the envelope Owen had given her before the broadcast had started.

"First up...your results of the Yearbook voting."

"In the category of funniest student in a classroom or hallway..."

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**A/N: And there you have it! I hope it wasn't too confusing, but all will be revealed in the next chapter if you didn't understand. Well, if there IS a next chapter. I'm still not sure if I'm continuing with this or not, so please...feedback WILL be appreciated. Also...I obviously don't have a title for this story either, so if any of you can come up with something, that'd be awesome and I'd be sure to credit you. Anyhoo...thanks for reading! That review page won't open itself...**


	2. Unfortunate Realizations

**Hi again!**

**So, based on the awesome feedback I got from the first chapter (thank you so much!), it seems like a lot of you were somewhat interested (and confused) with where I was going with this new story. Of course, I had to continue...so once again...thanks! **

**Although I got a nice idea from _KathrynAV _on what to name the fanfic, I thought about the whole "plotness" of the story and decided to name it _It's All In the Timing_, as you can see. Thanks to Kathryn, though, for being the only one to offer an idea. ) It's very much appreciated.**

**Okie dokie then. Everything that got you guys confused in the last chapter should most likely be explained in this one, so hang in there!**

_**It's All In the Timing**_

**Unfortunate Realizations**

"Honey...what's going on?"

The silence that had fallen over the Diffy family after Phil's outburst was suddenly broken as Barb turned to gaze at her son in concern. There was something about the look in his eyes, the tone of his voice, the way he was _acting..._

Even Lloyd, who was determined with a passion to get back home without any more setbacks, stalled the Time Machine to hear what Phil had to say.

Pim, on the other hand, rolled her eyes.

"_This_ should be good."

-----------------------------------------------------

"In other categories..." Keely glanced down at the blue paper in her hands. "Best Dressed: Archer Slickman."

The boy next to Owen threw his arm into the air in triumph, and Owen did a silent whoop and high fived him, accidentally knocking the camera off-screen in the process. Keely shook her head in pity, suppressing a small smile, as her friend quickly attempted to get the camera back on focus. With another thumbs up sign from Owen, she scanned the blue paper once more.

"Cutest couple: Keely Teslow and..."

Her eyes widened in silent disbelief as the blue paper dropped from her hands, the name scribbled on its face practically screaming at her in mockery. _'What the---'_

A "psst!" from Owen pulled her out of her stupor, and she stared blankly ahead at him and the rest of the crew as the entire school waited for her to continue the results. But her mind was somewhere else far away, and she simply ignored the frantic signals Owen was trying to give her...

Instead, one question plagued her mind as her emotions went out of control.

_'Phil...where ARE you?'_

Without a second thought, Keely stood up and was out the door before anyone could stop her.

-------------------------------------------------------

"Look at this."

Phil thrust Curtis's scarf into Lloyd's hands, and he stared at Phil uncertainly. "Son, are you sure about---"

"_Look at it_, Dad!" He repeated in exasperation, pointing vigorously at the scarf. "We've all seen that before, that exact scarf you're holding!" Phil turned to the rest of his family as Lloyd studied the knitted fabric, still slightly confused. "Even the bag of lobsters Dad found in the house, they're both the same! He said he packed those in the Time Machine before we left, right?"

Lloyd was just about to answer when Phil cut him off. "Those lobsters were way too valuable for you to leave behind, Dad, and you know it. Even Curtis, he told us himself that he never makes the same scarf design twice!" He paused to rub his eyes, a shuddering sigh escaping through his lips as he gave his family one last penetrating stare.

"...So why is it that we're seemingly seeing double all of a sudden?"

And instantly, the truth dawned on all of their faces.

"Honey...it can't be..."

"Our Time Machine is based more on getting people to a certain _year_, not day, right?" Phil turned to his father, who nodded shakily.

"Well, most Time Machines are much more accurate to certain specific dates, but since we're talking about a rental, here...I-I can't really say that it has the same capabilities." Lloyd swallowed nervously, knowing exactly where this was heading, and hesitantly continued. "Most of the time the RV _should_ lock on to the date set---"

"And it did...the first time." Phil finished, now pacing back and forth as the stress ate away at his mind. "But what if, when we came back to get Curtis, we accidentally went too far back in time?"

He took back the scarf from his father and handed it back to Curtis.

"What happens if we came back..._before_ the Time Machine was even considered fixed?"

Silence.

And yet, that silence confirmed everything he had been dreading, and it only made everything feel that much worse.

Because the silence only meant that he was right.

"Keely's reading those yearbook results, and I'm not there." Phil said quietly, falling back against his seat and dropping his head into his hands. "Which means that we're not together yet."

"So what happens when she realizes that I'm already gone?"

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Her converse shoes pounded heavily against the pavement as she sprinted through the familiar neighborhood, her hair whipping behind her in a blonde rush. No longer caring, no longer _thinking_, she headed towards the only place her mind could instinctively register as the dread crashed on her in waves...

She came to a halt right in front of their driveway, her breath coming out in short, harsh pants as she gazed at his house in silence.

_'No way he'd leave without telling me. He couldn't have.'_

She slowly walked towards the garage, her feet dragging like weights beneath her as her heart rate spiked out of control.

_'I know him. He wouldn't do this to me...'_

A turn around the corner...she made her way around it, and found nothing.

The Time Machine was gone.

She whipped around in a panic, her mind still unable to believe it as she dashed to the road and stopped dead in her tracks.

Burn marks were clearly visible along the black pavement directly in front of the house, marks that she knew hadn't been there before...which meant only one thing.

Keely dropped to the ground in shock as the truth finally registered in her mind, her fingers barely brushing against the marks on the road in utter disbelief.

_'He's really...gone?'_

And finally, the tears began to fall.

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**A/N: Whoo. Major drama right there. Well, I hope everything was sort of cleared up in this semi-short chapter, cause I definitely had an _extremely_ difficult time explaining it in just the right way. Anyways, have an awesome Fourth of July! Pop some firecrackers, light some illegal fireworks, and don't forget to freak people out with those poppers. Oh yeah...and don't forget to review! Thanks again!**


	3. The Wrong Place At the Wrong Time

**Look who's back!**

**Yup…it's me again. Sorry for the long wait. Basically, my computer crashed when I came back from my trip, so I had to wait till school started to get my laptop back, and I've been super busy lately…Anyhoo, let's get on with the next chapter! No more excuses!**

**By the way…this is sort of a "Diffy family" chapter, so there's a lot of Lloyd, Barb, and Pim in it as well as Phil. Don't worry, though, there'll be enough Keely to go around a little later on.**

**Enjoy!**

**_It's All In the Timing_**

**The Wrong Place At the Wrong Time**

His heart pounded loudly in his ears as he sat fidgeting in his seat, the anxiety practically crushing his entire body. The minutes seemed like hours on end, and yet he felt like his future would suddenly alter at any given moment if he didn't make it in time…

He didn't notice the loud whining of the Time Engine as it rapidly whirled out of control. He didn't notice his father's unsure rambles of what could possibly be wrong again as he tinkered with the controls up front, the groans of his sister sounding next to him as she rolled her eyes.

All he knew was that the Time Machine was slowing to a stop, and he could finally change everything back to the way it was supposed to be, before it was too late.

His mind was racing; he couldn't comprehend anything else anymore as he quickly unbuckled himself from his seat and headed straight towards the door. He didn't notice his father's stern orders to stay put, or the worried cries of "Phil, no!" from his mother.

Within moments, he was already gone.

-----------------------------------------

"_Phil!_" Barb repeated in exasperation, quickly unbuckling herself from her own seat and hurrying to the open door. He was already sprinting towards H.G. Wells, fading out of her vision as she lightly stepped onto the burning pavement.

"Lloyd, was he even _listening_?" Barb turned to her husband, who was staring after his son on the steps of the Time Machine with vivid eyes. "We don't even know if it's---"

"The lovebird probably wasn't even paying attention, Mom," Pim interrupted in amusement, leaning against the door with raised eyebrows. "He's so in love with Sparkle here that I doubt he cares about anything else." She slipped past her father and dropped onto the sidewalk besides Barb, glancing around.

"So, here we are again, in the rathole they call Pickford. When are we going back?"

Suddenly met with silence, Pim spun around and, realizing that she was the only one standing there, clenched her fists in irritation. "_HEY_! I was _talking_ here!"

With a disgruntled huff, she clambered back into the RV, mumbling incoherently under her breath.

------------------------------------------

Phil stood silently before the staircase of the familiar school, gazing up at the doors with wary eyes. An involuntary shiver shot down his spine without warning, and the foot he had resting on the step immediately dropped back onto the ground. Somehow…this place looked so different…but---

The sudden shrill rings of a bell dragged him out of his thoughts, and with a start Phil hurried up the stairs as the bustle of kids began to pour into the halls.

------------------------------------------

"Lloyd, honey, what's going on?" Barb asked impatiently, pacing through the RV in distress. "You haven't said a word since you began working on that Time Engine…is it _that_ serious?" She stopped behind her husband, peering over his shoulder in an attempt to look at the problem herself.

Lloyd glanced at her in dismay before standing up abruptly, causing Barb to fall back against the seat in surprise. With a tired groan, he dropped his head into his hands.

"I've checked all the components and circuitry connecting to the engine valve…all completely fried." Barb took a sharp intake of breath. "The second trip back must've been too much for the Time Engine to handle again, and it just shut down completely." Lloyd hesitated then, unable to hold it in any longer, finally threw out his hands in defeat.

"It looks like we're stuck here again. Maybe even…permanently this time."

A faraway shriek suddenly pierced through the air, and with a startled jump both Lloyd and Barb rushed out of the RV and practically ran over Pim, who had appeared out of nowhere in front of the Diffy driveway.

Barb quickly steadied herself before gasping, "Pim! Wha---Are you okay?"

"OKAY?" Pim screeched, eyes wild and nearly bulging out of their sockets. "_OKAY_? I couldn't help but overhear, mother, you think everything's _okay_? I've waited so long to get out of this stinkin' junkyard and now we're stuck again!" She clutched onto her father's arm in a panic. "_Fix it, pops, you gotta fix it!_ I'll go crazy!"

"I can't, Pim, don't you understand?" Lloyd argued, gently detaching his overdramatic daughter from his skin. "The Time Engine's completely melted down, it'd take me years to fix it in the least! This isn't like last time, I don't think we even have the right tools to fix the engine in this state---"

He was cut off by Pim, who by this time was muttering hysterically as she paced back and forth in front of him. "Well---Pimcicle, there's always this century to…to…take over, or something!" Lloyd stuttered, attempting a weak smile as his shoulders slumped even further. "That's what you've always wanted, right?"

"_LLOYD_!" Barb burst out in exasperation, glaring daggers at her husband as he meekly lifted his hands in defense.

"Though he _does_ have a point," Pim stated nonchalantly with a point of her finger, instantly returning to her normal self at the mention of world domination. "Alright. I guess I can deal with this century…for now. I'll get back to you in a few months or so on that."

She hopped up the steps into the RV and grabbed her Mona Lisa painting, clambering back down to meet her parent's piercing stares.

"What?" She asked innocently, shrugging. "I'm unpacking." With that, she began walking back towards the house.

"Lloyd, honey…" Barb said softly, as Pim yanked on the front door with difficulty before wrenching it open and stomping inside. "Something doesn't feel right…this place doesn't look the same way as we left it, it seems more worn down---"

The sound of obnoxious coughing reached their ears, and within a few seconds Pim popped her head out from the doorframe.

"HOLY FUDGESICLES! A BUNCH OF EVIL DUSTBUNNIES HAVE TAKEN OVER THE HOUSE!" She shrieked loudly, waving her Wizrd in the air like a maniac. "_Can I get rid of them_?"

Exchanging a quick glance, both Barb and Lloyd nodded somewhat shakily, and Pim was out of sight yet again, followed by a deafening whoosh of noise that neither of them wanted anything to do with.

"See?" Barb insisted loudly over the commotion, motioning towards the house. "Something's wrong, Lloyd, we both know it!" She paused, eyes widening in horror as a thought crossed her mind.

"Lloyd…are you sure we landed on the same day we left?"

For a brief moment, the noises inside the Diffy household subsided, and there was complete silence as the color drained from Lloyd's face.

And in the next instant, silence turned into chaos.

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Phil slowly pushed his way through the sea of students in the halls, eyes frantically searching for a certain blonde-haired beauty or a splash of outrageously colored clothes. But something was wrong; he felt like he was surrounded by a bunch of strangers, no matter how familiar they seemed…

Finally pulling out of the swarm of people, he rushed to his old locker and fell against it, his breath ragged as his eyes continued to scan the hallways. She had to be here, she always came through this area to get to her classes---

A flicker of blonde suddenly caught Phil's eye, and his head turned so fast he swore he heard his neck crack. But there she was, her back to him as she chatted cheerfully to a boy he didn't recognize, both of them walking towards the end of the hall. It had to be her, he knew those silk blonde tresses anywhere…

Phil took a step forward, relief flooding his entire body knowing that she was okay, that everything still seemed normal. He took another step, and---"_Keely_!"

The girl immediately jerked to a stop, body stock still as if she were paralyzed, as if she couldn't believe what she had heard. The boy next to her halted as well, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder with concern etched in his features. Slowly, though, the girl began to turn---

Out of nowhere, a hand grasped Phil's arm and swiftly yanked him back, dragging him out of sight and towards the nearest empty classroom. "_What the_---"

The door was opened and the hand clutching his arm finally let go, pushing him firmly against the wall before he could even steal a glace at the person who had pulled him away. Phil shook the pain out of his arm as the shock subsided and anger took its place. "Hey! What was _that_ fo---"

The door slammed shut, and a familiar brunette spun around to face him, a mixture of emotions blazing in her eyes as she slowly made her way across the room. His eyes widened in surprise.

"What are you _doing_ here, Phil?" She hissed, disbelief beginning to form in her features. She stopped midway, her stare piercing through him like so many times before, and a shudder instinctively ran through his body.

Phil's anger faded away immediately, only for confusion to jump in its place. "Via? You look…I don't---What's going on?"

"What's going on?" Via repeated, stunned. "_What's going on_? I'd like to ask you the same question!" She took a step toward him, eyes narrowing dangerously. "You show up out of _nowhere_ after being gone for so long, and now you expect Keely to come running back to you as if nothing ever happened? Honestly, Phil, I thought I knew you better than that, especially after everything you've done to her!"

'_What?' _Phil thought, completely baffled. _'What the heck is she talking about?'_

"Via…I seriously have no clue what you're---wait, what did I ever do to her?" He asked suddenly, furrowing his brow in irritation as he rebounded into defense. "I came back to _save_ her, if anything!"

The brunette scoffed, folding her arms across her chest in defiance. "Save her?" She asked sarcastically, her frustration now emanating off her body. "If you wanted to _'save her'_ you wouldn't have left in the first place! You're the reason for practically _ruining_ her!"

"_I never left_!" Phil countered angrily, throwing his arms out to emphasize his words. "Do you _seriously_ think I would do that to the girl I---"He quickly caught himself and rephrased--- "to my _best friend_?"

"That's _exactly_ what you did at the end of our sophomore year!" Via cried in exasperation. "What is _wrong_ with you, Phil, you act as though you don't even _remember_ any of this!"

The rage, as quickly as it had come, dissolved almost instantly as what Via said fully registered in his brain. Phil turned completely pale as a horrible thought entered his mind, a realization he hadn't noticed earlier hitting him square in the chest.

"What did you say?" He managed, in a voice barely above a whisper.

With those simple words, Via's anger died out almost instantly, and her eyes flickered in concern at Phil's sudden switch of emotions. "What? Phil, are you---"

"What year is it?" He interrupted faintly, looking as if he was going to collapse. Via quickly closed the distance between them and held him up by the shoulders, utterly confused at his question.

"What are you talking ab---"

"_What year is it_?"

Via hesitated, mostly because she had a feeling that if she told him the answer, something bad was bound to take place. But something was definitely wrong, she'd never seen her old friend act this way before…

His eyes were pleading as he waited for her to answer him, and finally, she cracked.

"It's…it's the year 2007, Phil. You've been gone for an entire year."

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**A/N: Whee! The end of yet another chapter. I didn't like this one at first, but gradually it got better, I guess. So how was it? I know Via was a bit OOC, but hopefully you all know the reason to that. I hope it wasn't too confusing…Anyhoo, I've got some major homework to finish, so please review, and the next chapter will be up as soon as possible! Thanks!**

**jaime**


	4. The Truth Really Hurts

**Hey! Sorry for such a long wait. I know you guys all probably hate me right now, especially since it's been MONTHS without a new chapter out and no warning of it going on any type of hiatus. School and life has just been way too hectic for me, but this story's been nagging at the back of my mind for AGES nonetheless. Hopefully I haven't lost my knack for writing fanfiction. And even though I'm not really into PotF itself anymore (_too...many...reruns...watched..._), the inspiration for fanfiction is definitely still there. There's no saying how long this story will take to make its full run, but I definitely will finish it even if it kills me. Seriously.**

**Rambling again...bad habit. Okay. Onto the next (long awaited) chapter!**

**Oh yeah...also, just a little side note – the parts in _italics_ are flashbacks. I know this chapter is already confusing enough, so I just wanted to give you a heads up before you fry your brain out on this one.**

**_It's All In the Timing_**

**The Truth Really Hurts**

It was impossible.

Even with the proof she'd been given, even with all the evidence placed directly in front of her eyes, she couldn't believe it.

She _refused_ to believe it.

For one, it meant that everything she had ever categorized as "normal" was now completely, utterly messed up, while the things she had believed up until then were "ridiculous" turned out to be unexpectedly true...

Blend the two together in an already-overloaded human brain and you've got yourself the ultimate migraine.

Secondly, to make things that much worse, it meant that everything that had happened throughout the past year with Keely had just been a complete misunderstanding, one that she now had no one to place the blame on except for time itself. And if that were the case, wasn't time the cause for practically _everything_ anyway?

She placed a hand gingerly to her temple with a soft, agitated groan, leaning heavily against the lockers behind her. What was she supposed to do now? With Phil suddenly appearing out of the blue again after so long and her mind reeling into overdrive, how in the world was she supposed to keep such an enormous secret from K---

"Via?"

Nearly falling over from the sudden shock, Via's head snapped up as she took in her best friend's figure with a sharp intake of breath.

"K-Keely!" She stuttered in an unnatural pitch, failing to keep a normal, cheerful tone in her voice entirely. She mentally whacked herself in the head as the blonde in front of her arched her eyebrows in suspicion, amusement...and something else.

"I'm sorry, you just...scared me, that's all," Via tried again shakily, attempting to wave it off with her hand and quickly changing the subject. "Anyhow...what's the matter?"

Keely held onto her gaze a bit longer before shaking it off, a serious expression taking over almost immediately. "Look, V...I really need to talk to you. And I know we promised to never bother about it again, but this time...it's _really_ important."

Via's stomach churned at her words, already knowing what was coming.

"I know...that I have all the reasons in the world to call myself delusional at this point," Keely began quietly, leaning against the lockers next to the brunette with slumped shoulders. "I mean, it's not like it hasn't happened before." She stifled a short laugh, shutting her eyes momentarily as a hint of what looked like pain shot through her features. But as soon as it had come, it was gone.

With a swift exhale of breath, Keely pushed herself up and turned to Via. "But this time, I _swear _I heard..." Her voice faltered and her eyes closed again, and she quickly skipped to her next sentence before she lost her nerve altogether.

"Look, all I know is that when I turned around, Via, I thought I saw you..._dragging_...someone away."

She didn't even have to finish the thought before Via dropped her gaze from her friend's pleading eyes, unable to stand it. She knew what Keely was trying to say, and there was no possible way she'd be able to tell her the truth. But then again, wasn't she stuck either way? Telling the truth would only resurface the pain, and lying would only make things worse...

"Via?" Keely asked in a voice barely above a whisper, the anxiety flashing through her eyes as the British girl took a small step away from her. Her heart dropped with a sickening thump, practically inviting the inevitable through her front door at this point. "Via_, please_ tell me it wasn't you I saw."

Taking a deep, shuddering breath and bracing herself for the worse (for the second time that day, she noted silently), Via finally raised her head and met Keely's fearful stare.

"I'm sorry, Keely. He's back."

- - - - -

"_Phil. _Phil_!"_

_Via barely held her grasp on him as Phil's legs finally gave way, and the two teens slowing dropped to the ground with a soft thump. Gently pulling away, the brunette watched in utter confusion and concern as the boy in front of her dropped his head in his hands in dismay, a stream of panic-stricken words tumbling out of his mouth in a jumble she could barely comprehend._

"_A year? An entire _year_? This can't be happening. We were supposed to come back to the day she was reading the results! Why...how did the time machine mess up again? At this rate, the entire time-space continuum will be permanently altered, and---ARGH, THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING TO ME!" _

_At this point Phil was pounding his fist into his forehead repeatedly, and in a frantic rush Via latched her hand onto his wrist to stop the self-abuse. "WHAT? Phil, just tell me, for goodness sake," She cried desperately, _"_What in the world is going on?"_

_Within a split second Phil's expression went from panic to a horrified dread as he realized just how much information he had spilled. Both hands fell to the floor beside him in defeat and, keeping his eyes averted, he slowly shook his head._

"_I...I can't tell you that, Via. I really can't."_

_Narrowing her eyes in irritation, Via grasped him by the shoulders and forced him to look at her._

"_Phil, I really don't have a clue to what is going through your mind at this moment," She said quietly, her voice carrying an unnatural impatience to it. Her eyes blazed with a fire he'd never seen before, causing him to automatically lock onto them with his own. "But at least let me tell you this---you have absolutely _no_ idea what Keely went through when you disappeared."_

_She suddenly let out a weary sigh and released her grip from his shoulders, lifting herself off the floor. "Look. If coming back here means that you're attempting to fix what you did, if you actually _want_ the chance to have my forgiveness and, even more so, Keely's as well...I suggest you tell me the truth." Folding her arms across her chest in determination, Via shot Phil that oh-so familiar piercing stare he had come to know so well. _

"_And I daresay I have _more_ than the right to know right now."_

_- - - - - _

The silence that followed Via's confession was almost unbearable.

In fact, the tension between the two girls was so blatantly obvious that the entire hallway of chattering students went quiet, some even turning their heads to stare in cautious curiosity.

What happened next, though, was so unexpected that it completely threw Via off her axis...quite literally.

Keely laughed.

The chortling sound that reached her ears caused Via to almost fall over in alarm and shock, and in a quick recovery she turned to stare at her best friend with wide, startled eyes.

'_Ohmigod...' _Her mouth dropped open in disbelief as Keely doubled over in a fit of giggles, the students around her shooting her strange looks before quickly continuing on their way.

'_Has she gone completely insane?'_

With her outburst of laughter finally dying down, Keely ran a hand through her silk blonde hair and flashed a smile at the shocked brunette standing before her.

"Sorry about that, V, I just...you seriously almost had me there for a sec!" She bent down and reached for her backpack, which had unnoticeably slipped off her shoulder sometime during the conversation. "Really, I _must_ be delirious for ever thinking you'd do something like drag some random guy away like that..."

A hand flew to her forehead in exasperation as Via took in the meaning of Keely's words. "_What_? Keely, you can't _possibly_ think that I'd lie about something like that! Now really isn't the time to be playing ignora---"

As if some force was working against her, the shrill ring of the bell cut Via off halfway through her sentence, breaking off Keely's attention as she glanced around in sudden realization.

"Wha---? Oh, _shoot_!" Whacking herself on the head in frustration, Keely hastily threw her backpack onto her shoulder and held her hands up in a quick apology, slowly backing away. "Via, I'm totally sorry, but I've gotta get to Philosophy class! Messershmicht'll definitely put me in after-school detention if I'm late one more time..."

Without even bothering to hear a response, she turned and dashed down the hall, already at the corner when Via finally demonstrated a proper reaction.

"N-no! Wait, you have to---_Keely!_" Dropping her arms to her sides in defeat, Via fell back against the lockers once more and slowly slid to the ground with her head in her hands, a distraught groan barely escaping her lips.

She didn't even bother to get up as the trill of the second bell echoed throughout the deserted hallways.

- - - - -

_Via gave one of the biggest eye rolls of her life as Phil's shoulders sagged miserably just a few feet away._

"_Phil, please. Do you seriously expect me to believe a far-fetched tale like that? This is barely the time for unnecessary jokes, I'm_ really_ not in the joking mode right now---"_

"_I'm not joking around!" Phil interrupted in dismay, throwing his hand out to emphasize how serious he was at the moment. "I'm telling the truth, I'm _not_ from this century!" He paced frantically in front of the brunette, who only shook her head with a mixture of pity and irritancy. Attempting to reason with her, he spun around on his heel and began gesturing wildly with his hands, which only caused Via to arch an eyebrow in semi-amusement. _

"_Okay! Okay, okay. Look. Didn't you ever have that strange feeling that I didn't fit in here? Or..." He paused for a split second, trying to remember a specific event in time. "Like, during that one incident before the Girl's Choice Dance, remember? How I was supposed to move back to Kansas---" He rolled his eyes sarcastically at the lame attempt of an excuse--- "But then, for some unknown reason to you and everyone else, I suddenly didn't have to move anymore?"_

_Via's mouth opened to add in a quick retort, but she decided against it when she realized that Phil was actually right._

"_See?" Phil insisted, pointing a finger at her in confidence despite the situation he was in. "Don't tell me that you've never once felt like something strange was going on with me---'_

_Via's eyes widened as another thought suddenly hit her. "Keely..." She interrupted quietly, which caused Phil to quickly snap his head up at the mention of a certain best friend. "W-what?"_

"_That time...with Keely..." She trailed off as she walked into her own memory, leaving Phil to stand there with a bewildered look on his face. _

"_Uh...Via---"_

"_That time," Via interrupted again, waving him off with a flick of her hand. "Wait, that time after I met you two, when Keely and I went to that Pickford Craft Fair and she disappeared...that was because of you, wasn't it?" She narrowed her eyes at Phil, who froze like a dear caught in headlights. "She knows about this too? She's a part of it, she actually _believes_ it?"_

_Turning on her heel and shaking her head vigorously, Via threw her hands up in despair and stomped to the other side of the room with a laugh of pure disbelief. "No, no...This – this isn't possible, I mean, the chances of you being from the...the..."_

_She turned around to face him again and instantly trailed off, her eyes settling on a strange blue electronic device he now held firmly in his hands. _

_Phil stared at her intently, walking up to where she stood and holding the device in front of her face. "You said that you wanted to know the truth, Via, so I'll have to prove it to you." He cringed inwardly as he pressed a number of buttons on the device and pointed it directly at the wide-eyed brunette, knowing the consequences that would soon be in store._

"_Man...Dad's gonna kill me for this."_

_Out of nowhere, a blinding light erupted from the contraption in his hand and engulfed Via in a shower of colors, successfully triggering a terrified gasp from her lips as she shielded her eyes. Phil flashed a smile of triumph as the light slowly faded and, pressing another button, materialized a large mirror in his opposite hand and held it out to her._

_She froze in shock at what she saw._

"_H-how..." Snatching the mirror out of Phil's hands, Via gawked at the glamorous dress that now clung gracefully to her body, at the hairstyle, the makeup, the shimmering, undoubtedly expensive jewelry---_

_Then dropped the mirror and quickly backed up against the classroom wall, her legs suddenly feeling extremely weak._

"_It's called a Wizrd," Phil explained cautiously, making sure the brunette could hear every single word he was saying as he slowly made his way towards her. "It basically does anything you can possibly imagine, such as this---" He motioned at her new "costume", which was most likely capable of passing as a potential red-carpet outfit--- "And it's probably one of the most essential tools used in the 22nd century."_

_He pointed the Wizrd at Via again, and with another bright light she was back in her normal school clothes, her breath coming out in short, shaky puffs of air. Pointing the Wizrd at the shattered mirror on the ground and dematerializing that as well, it was now Phil's turn to give Via her own trademark stare. _

"_You believe me now, right?"_

_Via could only stare back in response, beginning to shake her head again in disbelief as she ran a trembling hand through her dark brown hair. Phil heaved a sigh and ran a hand through his own hair as well, causing it to stick out in all sorts of strange directions as he began pacing in front of her._

"_Please, Via, you've got to understand. Our time machine broke down here while we were on vacation, we were only trying to fit in until my dad fixed our one way back home! And when he finally did, things went wrong again and it turned out like this..." Despite the tense situation he was in right now, Phil had to hold down the urge to grin as he glanced at the expression on Via's face...one that looked almost exactly like the expression Keely had had when he told her a similar story so long ago._

_Via stood motionless for a good solid five seconds before giving any sort of reaction whatsoever. When her mouth finally showed signs of functioning, she gave a short, unnatural laugh, which caused Phil to stop his pacing and turn his head toward her in surprise._

"_This really isn't a dream, is it?" She asked, slightly taken aback at the casualty in her voice. "I'm not delirious, and you're not just a figment of my overactive imagination?" She raised a weary hand to her temple and shook her head in disbelief. "This is...this is real."_

_The more she said it, the more she couldn't believe it. _

_But the more she couldn't believe it, the more she knew it was true..._

_Before Phil even had a chance to answer, though, the Wizrd went off in his hands, sending Via in the air with a startled jump and a small shriek. A hologram of Phil's father appeared above the blue gadget, which immediately went off in a ramble as Lloyd's voice echoed throughout the room._

"_Phil, we've got a HUGE problem. This isn't the same day we left---and when I said the day we left, I mean the _second_ time around, not the first---we came back a year later! So right now I---HOLY PICKLESNAPPERS!!!" _

_The holographic Lloyd caught sight of Via and immediately went into "PacMan-game-mode", which caused Phil to slap a hand to his face in embarrassment._

"_Uh, Dad..." He began nervously as Via stared incredulously (and amusingly) at the mini Lloyd, who by now was marching back and forth with a loud "Waka waka waka waka waka..."_

"_Dad---she knows."_

_Instantly Lloyd dropped his arms and snapped his head around with wide eyes. "WHAT?"_

"_I'm sorry, Dad, it's a long story..." Phil scratched the back of his head with an apologetic grin before quickly changing the subject. "Anyway, is there anything else you wanted?"_

_Lloyd hesitated, glancing at Via nervously before speaking again. "Yes...uh, yes. We've got an urgent family meeting, Phil, your mother needs you to get back home A.S.A.P---" He was suddenly shoved out of the hologram as Pim stepped in his place with a roll of her eyes._

"_You'd better hurry it up, Bro, I'm sure you'll be overjoyed once you hear the news." Her false happiness was cut short when she noticed Via as well. "Oh, hey, it's Little Miss Sunshine's shop-till-you-drop-a-holic British buddy. You hooked up with the tall idiot yet?"_

_Via gave a shocked gasp and shook her head furiously. "WHAT? NO!"_

_Pim gave a cackle before disappearing along with the hologram, and Phil quickly shoved the Wizrd in his pocket as he started towards the door._

"_How in the world---wait, you're _leaving_?" Via shook Pim's last words out of her mind and chased after him as he yanked open the door, walking into the now empty hallway. "Phil, what do you expect me to do now after _everything_ you've told me?"_

"_I'm sorry, Via, I'll be back, I promise!" Phil said with a wave, already pushing open the school doors. Within moments he was hopping down the steps two at a time, leaving Via to stare helplessly after him at the top of the staircase. "But---"_

_She suddenly glanced at her watch and swore under her breath, dashing back into the school to get to class before she got into even more trouble than she was already in._

_It looked like she was going to have a long, long day._

- - - - -

Phil burst through the school doors a few minutes before the end of school, his eyes immediately settling on a certain blonde's _best friend_ who was, for some reason, sitting on the ground with her back against the blue metal lockers and her head in her hands. Already aware of his presence, Via quickly pushed herself off the ground and hastily adjusted her hair and clothes as Phil made his way toward her with a perplexed look on his face.

"What...what are you doing here?" He asked in confusion, unintentionally cutting the British girl off just as she opened her mouth to speak. "Shouldn't you be in class right now? I'm surprised you didn't get cau---"

"Phil, you have _got_ to go back and change all of this," Via interrupted in exasperation, grasping him by the shoulders as he stared at her with wide eyes. "I can't afford to let Keely see you now, you _have_ to trust me on this!" She let him go and put a hand to her head in distress. "Can't you go back in your..._time machine_...and just fix everything to how it should be?"

At those words, though, Phil instantly dropped his gaze, which caused Via to pause halfway through her freaking-out stage to stare at him with a bubbling dread in the pit of her stomach.

"Oh no," She whispered with a soft moan, covering her eyes. "Don't tell me..."

Phil shifted from one foot to the other. "Yeah, about that..." He gulped nervously. "Our time machine sort of broke down for good. I'm basically stuck here for the rest of my life."

"And this time...for real."

The shrill ring of the final bell pierced through the deathly silence that had suddenly fallen over the two, and in mere seconds the hallway was a complete chaos as students began pouring out of their classrooms in a loud chatter.

"Oh God, this can't be happening," Via whispered fearfully, her eyes darting from student to student as Phil only became more frantic.

"Via, just how bad of a situation _is_ this?" He asked in desperation, backing up against the lockers as his heart raced out of control. If Keely had liked him just as much as he loved her before his unexpected disappearance, what exactly would her reaction be if he suddenly showed up in front of her one year later?

"Ohmigod---_Phil!_"

He didn't have a chance to think about it, because at that moment Via grabbed him by the arm and yanked him towards her, eyes filled with sheer dread.

"We have to get out of here!" She gasped frantically, beginning to push him towards the door as she shot a quick glance behind her, the dread deepening even more. "_Please_, just hurry up before---"

"_Yo, Via!_"

They both froze in their tracks.

Too late.

Phil's eyes quickly flew shut, his teeth clenching in dismay as the familiar voice, now much nearer and louder than before, sounded again.

"Dude, where were you today, Via?" Owen asked with a cock of his head just as Via spun around to face him with a flustered look on her face. Before she had a chance to respond (though she had no intention of doing so anyway) his eyes lit up and he grinned devilishly. "Ooh, don't tell me you actually _ditched_! Whoa, this is like, totally gonna go down in _history_! I me---"

He stopped short, narrowing his eyes in confusion when he finally noticed the person hiding behind the brunette, his back against hers as he attempted to somehow disappear into thin air. For a moment Owen stood there as the realization registered in the back of his brain, and with a gentle push past Via he grabbed the boy's shoulder and slowly turned him around.

"Dude..." He whispered in complete shock.

"_Phil?_"

Just as the words left his mouth, though, the familiar _thump _of a bag hitting the ground caused him to look up over Phil's shoulder in bewilderment, searching for the source of the sound.

Within a split second, the color had completely drained from his face.

Phil quickly looked from Owen to Via and noticed that she had gone completely white as well, a trembling hand covering her mouth. Unable to take it any longer, he spun around...and instantly regretted it when he realized just who it was.

It only took his eyes a split second to take her in, but it was a lifetime before his mouth could even form a single word.

"...Keel..."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N: Holy crap, guys. You seriously DO NOT know how hard it was for me to write this chapter. I didn't realize how difficult it would be for me to write everyone so OOC, so it literally took me AGES to get this update out. So yes, because of the OOC-ness, I'm not _nearly_ as satisfied as I would like to be...but I hope you guys still liked it. Anyways, I promised myself I'd get it out by New Year's Day (and it is for me...1:21 in the morning! WHOO!), so...HAPPY NEW YEARS, EVERYONE! Hope you enjoyed the long chapter. Please still review! Believe it or not, reviews _do_ keep me motivated...**

**Once again, thanks for tuning in even after such a long wait! You guys are the BEST!**

**-jaime-**


	5. Breakdown

**Hey peoples! Here's another chapter of everyone's **_**oh-so favorite **_**story! (-trampled-) Ahaha. Okay, just kidding. Let's move on with the chapter now...I waste too much time anyways. (-dies-)**

**Hm...before that, though, just a little side note...has anyone else noticed how much drama and angst-ness this story has held so far? I never even realized it until now. It should be getting lighter soon, though, I think. We need to get rid of all the confusion first, no? And God knows that this chapter is chalk full of it. Again. XD**

**It's All In the Timing**

**Breakdown**

Keely heaved a sigh of relief as the bell finally gave off a shrill ring, signaling the end of another long, boring day. Silently noting the empty seat next to her, though, she could only wonder what had happened to Via, seeing that she had practically run away from the brunette after that whole ordeal involving---

'_That whole ordeal involving Phil.' _

The usual shine in her eyes faded almost immediately. Even after an entire year without him, just the name itself made Keely rip herself apart on the inside, still hating him for leaving without any warning whatsoever, probably thinking that it was for her own good. But deep down she hated _herself_ for ever thinking that he'd actually stay...and even more for falling in love with him, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he had felt the same way...

She had been too angry to think logically after his sudden disappearance, too hurt and torn to take into consideration that maybe something had gone wrong. And even when the pain had slowly began to trickle away, bit by bit, month after month, she had been too stubborn to try and grasp that logic, to forgive him so easily and move on with her life...and she knew why. Despite everything, no matter what she had tried to tell herself, she knew the real reason for her never-ending grudge...and that's when she hated herself the most.

It was just what she needed, Keely thought bitterly, hastily shoving her things into her backpack as the other students quickly filed out of the room and into the hallway. To have Phil back on her mind, right when she had felt so close to wiping her history with him clean, both good times and bad. "It's my fault, my stupid mind's just playing tricks on me again like before," She muttered, rolling her eyes as she slung her bag over her shoulder. Seriously, Via would never do anything like---

'_So you're saying that Via's "playing tricks" as well?'_ Her mind asked in a soft whisper, though it easily drowned out her other thoughts as it began to nag at her brain. _'You're saying that she's lying?'_

"Of course not! But he hasn't come back, and he definitely _won't _come back anytime soon, either!" Keely declared out loud, abruptly cutting off the persistent voice in her head and causing the students who were still lingering in the classroom to shoot her bizarre looks. Catching their gazes, the flustered blonde flashed her trademark bubbly smile and added after a beat, "---because...he's out of town! My uncle, y'know, the clown...who's...touring...with the circus... " She trailed off pathetically with a short laugh, and without another glance her classmates swiftly grabbed their things and hurried out the door.

Letting out a soft groan, Keely smiled grimly, almost amused.

"And just when they thought I couldn't get any weirder."

She pushed open the classroom door and walked out into the loud bustle of the halls, her eyes already scanning for any sign of her two friends as she ran a hand through her silky hair. Just like all the other times, she'd forget about everything that had happened today, everything that had to do with him. Maybe cruise around the mall with Via and even Owen, who usually tagged along just to pester the both of them, then go home and call Sh---

"_Yo, Via!"_

At the sound of Owen's voice, Keely broke away from her thoughts and cast her eyes further down the hallway, catching a glimpse of her tall friend's spiky light brown hair and lopsided grin as he towered above the other students still straying within the school. _'Great,' _she thought, smiling with relief, '_He found her.' _

Lightly brushing past some of her classmates with a quick wave goodbye and a radiant smile, she made her way towards the locker Owen was currently leaning against. Suddenly, though, his expression went serious. Straightening up, he walked forward, and...and...

'_What is he doing?'_

Puzzled, Keely slipped around the small group of chattering freshman blocking her view and lightly stepped onto the scene, just about to voice her usual cheerful greeting. But Owen beat her to it, and the words were already tumbling out of his mouth before she could even take in the sight in front of her---

"_Phil?"_

And just like that, her words were completely cast aside.

She didn't feel her bag slip off her shoulder, didn't even hear it when it hit the ground with a heavy _thump_. In fact, the moment Keely heard his name, her entire system shut down. This boy in front of her wasn't Phil. Just some look-alike from the back...it _had_ to be! There was no reason for him to come back now, right? This was all just some sick, sick _joke..._

It wasn't helping her situation when she finally noticed that Via and Owen had gone completely pale, frozen with what looked like shock and dread. But still she refused to believe it, even when the boy turned around to face her.

Even when he looked..._exactly_...like him...

He didn't say anything. Just stood there, like he didn't really exist. At this point, she desperately hoped so. It was possible, right? He wasn't really there, she was just dreaming like so many times before. And maybe when she woke up, everything would be back to normal just like how it was supposed to be...how she wanted it to be...

But he didn't disappear, and after what seemed like an eternity, his mouth finally opened.

"...Keel..."

It was all the proof she needed to turn on her heel, walk out the school doors...and shatter her world into a million pieces all over again.

- - - - -

"Wai---_Keely!_"

Acting on instinct, Phil was already taking a step forward to chase after his best friend---only to have himself held back by the two hands now practically attached to his wrist. Outraged, he spun around to face Via and Owen.

"What are you_ doing_?" He nearly shouted, trying to yank his arm away without any success. "I can't just let her go without explaining everything!"

Despite the pained expression evident on her face, Via shook her head, refusing to let go. Even Owen, who still had no idea to why his old friend had suddenly reappeared after so long, held a determined look in his eyes as his grip tightened.

"We're so sorry, Phil..." Via whispered softly, unable to look at him any longer. "But you just don't understand! Keely...she..." The brunette faltered, unable to finish her sentence. There was no way she could tell him now.

For a moment, Phil's face dropped in defeat.

"Sorry, dude," Owen offered apologetically with a slight shrug. Now was not the time to be asking questions of his own.

"So what're you saying, then?"

Phil raised his head, his voice shaky.

"You're telling me that I'm supposed to sit back and watch my best friend walk out of my life without trying to fix it first?"

His words cut through them like a knife, and without meaning to, both of their grips slackened for a split second.

It was all Phil needed to break away.

- - - - -

She didn't care that everyone was staring at her as she stumbled blindly down the stairs, but their hushed whispers were almost deafening in her ears.

"Jeez, what's wrong with her this time?"

"She's been like this for so long..."

"Don't tell me she _still _hasn't gotten over him!"

"But...Phil's been gone for almost a year, hasn't he?"

'_Stop it!' _Her mind screamed, drowning out the voices. _'I don't...I don't want to hear it anymore...I don't want to hear _anything_ anymore---' _

"_Keely!_"

Her heart constricted painfully at the sound of her name. Even with her feet throbbing in her sandals she increased her speed, already feeling the blisters starting to form. He couldn't catch her. He shouldn't even _be here! _The way he had looked at her, the sound of his _voice_...couldn't he understand that he was literally ripping her to _pieces _just by straying in her mind? And yet the footsteps behind her became louder, faster...

He was going to catch up to her. He always had. And once that moment came, she wasn't sure whatwould happen to her...but she _definitely_ didn't want to find out---

Out of nowhere a figure appeared in front of her, and before she could screech to a halt she collided into it full-force, vision going black. The person let out a surprised grunt as the wind was knocked out of him. "What the h---?" But the boy looked down and saw who it was, and at once his arms wrapped around her instinctively.

"K..._Keely?_ What's going on?"

She looked up at him with wide eyes, startled. He was nearly a head taller than her, his golden brown hair falling over deep auburn eyes that clouded over with concern. Gently, he took his hand and tucked the stray golden locks behind her ear. "What happened? Are you okay?"

The emotional wall she had constructed around her ever since that morning finally shattered into pieces, and she fell into his chest, sobbing hysterically.

"H...He's back..." She whispered between painful gasps of breath. "I-I don't know...what I'm supposed to do..."

Phil stopped dead several yards away as he watched the boy pull Keely closer to him, comforting her as he ran a hand through her hair, and his insides went cold almost instantly. It was the guy Keely had been with when he had first seen her that morning...but...

Who _was_ he?

Heavy footsteps sounded behind him, and without even turning around to see who it was, he spoke in a quiet, shaky voice. "This...this is..."

Via took a step closer to him as Owen continued to catch his breath a few feet away. "I'm so sorry, Phil," She whispered brokenly, resting a hand on his shoulder as the three of them watched the boy lead Keely away. Phil resisted the urge to shrug her off, simply shaking his head instead. Via glanced at Owen as he came up next to her, heaving a dejected sigh.

"Dude...you just came at the wrong time, that's all."

Phil continued to watch his best friend walk away with..."Who is he?" He asked, voice already void of all emotion, just like the look in his eyes.

It took a while before anyone answered.

"His name is Shane," Via said softly, when Owen refused to say a word. "He's---" She faltered, shutting her eyes momentarily before continuing in a voice barely audible.

"He's...Keely's boyfriend."

- - - - -

**A/N: Sorry so late, guys. Writing fanfiction just doesn't interest me as much it used to, and because of that I'm having a much harder time coming out with decent chapters, much less anything. So, from this chapter, the story's going on a temporary hiatus until I get my thoughts straight and my other personal projects out of the way. I'm sorry for this one being so out of whack...I hope you guys can forgive me for the crappiness. I just can't seem to come up with anything right now...**

**Until next time, then...and major apologies from the heart. **


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